Shane Watson, the man with the most runs and most wickets in the tournament so far, was at it again today, with both bat and ball. He made sure Australia shrugged off the early loss of David Warner and soon started toying with the South Africa attack. In the tenth over, he pulled Wayne Parnell right into the South Africa dugout for six, the shot also bringing up his fifty.

The what's-the-fuss-all-about reaction

Xavier Doherty, playing his first game of the tournament, had removed Richard Levi with the third delivery of the game and then snapped up Jacques Kallis with his seventh. The in-form Hashim Amla is in a different league at the moment, though. Three balls after Kallis fell, Amla made room outside leg stump and lofted Doherty casually over extra cover, the ball easily clearing the boundary.

The successful innovation

South Africa were stagnating at 92 for 5 after 15 overs. Brad Hogg was bowling his collection of legbreaks and googlies. Robin Peterson, a left-hander, should have found it difficult against the chinaman bowler Hogg. Not if he could convert himself into a right-hander. Twice, Peterson changed his stance and his grip and twice, he swept Hogg through his "off" side for four.

The advance warning

Two of the world's best sides were playing the afternoon game, but one look at the stands and you could make out the atmosphere had already started to build up for the night match, India against Pakistan. A huge Pakistan flag appeared in one of the stands, then another, and another, and soon, there were Pakistan flags all around. The India flags too started appearing, and soon, after every Australia boundary, India and Pakistan flags were being waved.

The tactic

Amla loves to carve deliveries through the off side. Shane Watson bowled to Amla with five men in the ring on in that region, and dug in a bouncer on off. Amla moved sharply across, trying to make sure he got outside the line enough to hit to leg, but only managed to glove it to the wicketkeeper.